
At first Liverpool job was a challenge, Klopp admits
Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he really wanted to go on a sabbatical leave after leaving Borussia Dortmund as a manager.
Klopp was hired by Liverpool in October 2015 to take over from Brendan Rodgers and he admits that it was a challenge taking over at Anfield when he knew little about the English Premier League.
“Since then I’d worked constantly, so I never had the chance to travel around and look over the shoulder of any great managers in the world. I wanted to do that, but then again - new job and I couldn’t.” Klopp offered.
“I really wanted a change after 14 years managing in Germany, where I knew everything, I knew each team. If you would have asked me about a side in the fifth division, I could have told you the names of at least four of their players,” he added.
Knowing no player
“Then I came to England and everything is new. Yes, I watched English football before, but I was busy in Germany with my league and with Champions League and stuff. Then, you come here, we play a team - let’s say Hull - and you don’t know one player.
“For the preparations, you have pretty much three days so you watch their games completely differently because I had completely no idea of what they do. In Germany, meanwhile, I knew inside-out how every team played.
Klopp is in his third season at Liverpool and has led them to unbeaten 2018/19 season and have been tipped as real title contenders given the signings he made during the summer. He also led them to a UEFA Champions League finals where they eventually lost to Real Madrid last season.